Automatic reel



June 6, 5 WORTH ETAL AUTOMATI C REEL Filed March 1, 1965 INVENTORS WILLIAM S. WORTH MATT! C. LAKE ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,323,750 AUTOMATIC REEL William 5. Worth, 2855 E. Maplewood, Littleton, Colo. 83120, and Matti C. Lake, 6865 Wilson Mills, Gates Mills, Ohio 44940 Filed Mar. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 435,926 12 Claims. (Cl. 242107.4)

This invention relates to novel and improved reel devices; and, more particularly, relates to an automatic reel being adaptable for use in controlling selective withdrawal, locking and return of a seat belt and the like in a dependable and effective manner.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for an improved automatic reel device for selectively controlling return and withdrawal of an elongated flexible member to and from its normally wound relation on the reel while being capable of automatically and positively locking the flexible member against further movement in any desired position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved automatic reel device for seat belts and the like wherein the seat belt is self-storing on the reel when not in use, is easily adjustable without unbuckling for the desired tautness and comfort according to the size of the passenger; furthermore, wherein the reel will establish positive locking and permit selective release of the seat belt Without necessitating a sudden pull on the belt itself so as to enable adjustable extension or retraction of the belt as desired once secured in place.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide in an automatic reel device for seat belts and the like for an improved clutch control mechanism to automatically and positively lock the seat belt in desired position in order to restrain a passenger against sudden movement in the event of an accident, and in such a way that the clutch mechanism is movable between a release position for unwinding and automatic winding of the seat belt and a locking position to positively lock the seat belt in the unwinding direction while imposing a frictional drag on the belt in the winding direction; and further wherein the clutch control mechanism is responsive either to positive direct actuation of the reel holder, or manipulation of the belt itself, to shift to either of the release or locking positions as desired.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a novel and improved reel assembly for seat belts and the like incorporating an automatic reel and outer housing for the reel which cooperate together in a unique manner to control locking and release of the belt for adjustable extension and retraction.

In accordance with the present invention, an automatic reel has been devised which will function automatically to exert a positive locking force against further unwinding of a seat belt once the belt has been set at the desired position. In addition, the belt will remain locked in position until positively released; and once released, may be selectively unwound from the reel device, or automatically may be wound on the reel to pick up any slack introduced upon adjustment. Again, the belt is most desirably secured in such a Way as to be released for movement only so long as the reel device is positively held in the release position after which the reel Will automatically return to the lock or hold position. Still another feature of the present invention resides more specifically in the clutch control mechanism employed in combination with the reel and which is so constructed and arranged as to positively lock the reel and seat belt against further movement or extension in the unwinding direction and in a manner such that any further pressure exerted in the unwinding direction upon the belt when in the winding position will more firmly lock the belt against movement. Moreover, the clutch control mechanism may be selectively controlled by rotation of an outer housing for the reel to shift from normal locking engagement with the reel to the release position for selective unwinding and automatic winding of the belt.

The above and other objects advantages and features of the present invention will become more readily understood and appreciated from a consideration of the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a somewhat perspective view of a preferred form of automatic reel device for a seat belt in accordance with the present invention.

2 is an exploded view illustrating the relative disposition and relationship between parts comprising the automatic reel of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section view illustrating the disposition and relation between parts comprising the preferred form of reel with the parts arranged in assembled relation in the release position; and

FIGURE 4 is a more detailed view taken about lines 4 4 of FIGURE 3 but with the parts shown in the lock pos1t1on.

Now referring in more detail to the drawings, the preferred form of automatic reel device is illustrated for use in controlling the extension and retraction of a seat belt B for a motor vehicle, although it will be appreciated that the device is readily conformable for use in controlling the Withdrawal and return of other elongated flexible members, such as, elongated cables or straps employed in various applications. In the preferred form, and as shown 1n FIGURE 1, an automatic reel assembly 10 is broadly comprised of a stationary base 12 having a mounting bolt 13 for securing the assembly in fixed relation to the seat frame or floor of a motor vehicle, not shown. A housing 14 is rotatably supported on the base structure 12 and includes a release handle 15 and a transverse slot 16 for the seat belt member B, the latter being wound upon an automatic reel member supported within the housing 14 in a manner to be hereinafter described in more detail.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the rotatable housing 14 is provided with a central spindle 18 supporting the housing for rotatable movement about a shaft 20. A reel member 22 is enclosed within the housing and includes a drum or spool 24 for the seat belt B, the spool being dimensioned for disposition in outer, spaced concentric relation to the spindle with a clutch member 26 being positioned between the spindle and spool to selectively control locking and release of the reel member 22 and attached seat belt. In the preferred form, the clutch member 26 is defined by a helical spring member which is so positioned between the reel and central spindle that upon rotation of the housing and attached spindle in one direction with respect to the base 12 the spring member 26 will be movable to expand into positive locking engagement with the drum 24. When the housing is rotated in the opposite direction, the spring member 26 will be contracted to a sufli-cient extent to permit free, independent rotation of the reel and consequent winding and unwinding of the seat belt B.

In general, the reel member 22 is controlled in movement by a return spring 30 disposed between one end of the reel 22 and an end plate 32 which is attatched to the front of the stationary base structure. In accordance with conventional practice, the spring 30 is biased to yieldingly urge the reel 22 and seat belt B in the counterclockwise or Winding direction while resisting outward, unwinding movement of the belt in the opposite direction. In this relation, when the clutch spring 26 is expanded against the drum 24, the drum is biased by the spring 30 in a direction to maintain more positive engagement of the spring member 26 with the drum 24 so as to maintain a positive lock against outward unwinding movement of the belt once set at the desired position.

Now considering in more detail the features of construction and arrangement of the reel assembly, the base 12 is in the form of a mounting horn or shell having corresponding, upwardly divergent side walls 35 and front and rear end walls 36 and 37, respectively, the end walls 36 and 37 also being correspondingly formed to terminate in upper circular ends 38 having aligned central openings 39 for receiving the shaft 20. The divergent sidewalls terminate in upper horizontal edges beneath the longitudinal axis of the shaft 20 to leave an open area between the circular ends 38 for insertion of the rotatable housing 14 between the upper circular ends 38. Here the housing is supported in journaled relation to the base structure by the shaft 20 which is inserted through the aligned central openings 39 and central spindle 18. In assembled relation, the housing serves as an enclosure for the reel member 22 and in such a way that the housing and reel are independently rotatable with respect to one another and to the base structure 12. For this purpose, the housing is of hollow generally cylindrical configuration and is closed at one end by an annular end plate 40 which supports the spindle 18 for forward extension through the housing. In turn, the spindle is designed to support the clutch spring member 26 in a predetermined relation to the reel and, to this end, includes a forward spring supporting surface portion 42 together with an enlarged spool supporting surface portion 43, the latter providing an external shoulder 44 and a longitudinal slot 45 at one end of the surface portion 42 and at a point located approximately midway between the ends of the spindle. In this way, the enlarged surface portion 43 will support the drum or spool 24 as well as the end of the clutch member 26 for the required expansion and contraction with respect to the spool 24.

In order to support the reel for normally independent rotation within the housing, the spool 24 is dimensioned for disposition in journaled relation on the surface portion 43 of the spindle and with the forward portion of the drum disposed in outer spaced concentric relation to the spring supporting surface portion 42. An annular end plate 48 is carried by the spool 24 and the latter has a reduced forward end portion 50 projecting forwardly through the end plate 48 which, together with a forwardly projecting pin 51 on the end plate 48, will support the rewind spring 30 between the end plate 48 and the fixed end plate 32.

The clutch member 26 is preferably defined by a helical or torsional spring member having a series of tightly wound convolutions being biased to normally expand to a diameter greater than that of the inner surface of the spool 24. Moreover, as viewed from the front of the reel assembly, the convolutions are wound in a counter-clock wise or lefthand direction and terminate at opposite ends in axially directed tabs or ears 52 and 53. When disposed over the surface portion 42 of the spindle the spring is of a length such that the tab 53 can be inserted in the longitudinal slot 45 and the tab 52 inserted in fixed relation in a slot 65 in the front end plate 32. In addition, the helical spring is dimensioned such that it can be contracted to lie against the surface portion 42 away from contact ing relation with the inner surface of the drum 24, as best seen from FIGURE 3, although as stated it is normally biased to expand outwardly against the inner surface of the drum 24 to exert a locking force thereon, as illustrated in FIGURE 4. It will be evident that expansion and contraction of the spring member 26 may be controlled eifectively by shifting the tab 53 with respect to the fixed end tab 52 and as a consequence to control locking and release of the reel and seat belt. Thus, to lock the reel against rotation, the housing 14 and spindle 18 may be rotated by the control handle through the limited angle necessary for shifting the rear tab 53 in a clockwise direction with respect to the fixed tab 52 to permit the clutch spring 26 to expand outwardly against the inner surface of the spool 24. Conversely, to release the reel for rotation, it is merely necessary to rotate the handle 15 in the opposite direction causing the control tab 53 to shift in a counter-clockwise direction so as to contract the spring 26 inwardly and away from engagement with the inner surface of the drum 24. Since the clutch spring is biased in a direction urging both the tab 53 In seat belt devices, it is most important that the seat belt be restrained effectively against outward movement in the event of an accident, or in other words, will be positively locked in place against movement in the unwinding direction. Accordingly, the seat belt B is wound out- Wardly 0n the drum in a clockwise direction, that is, a direction, opposite to that of the clutch spring 26. In this way, when the belt is locked in position by the clutch spring 26 any pull exerted on the belt in the unwinding direction will, through the drum, exert a torque on the clutch spring in the clockwise direction, or direction of expansion, so as to increase the locking pressure of the clutch spring against the drum. When a torque is applied in the reverse direction, such as for example, by the belt member under the urging of the rewind spring 30 it will tend to contract the spring since it will work in a direction tending to force the tab 53 in a counter-clockwise direction toward the release position. For this reason, the clutch spring is most desirably given sufficient tension to remain in the locking position against the force of the rewind spring or in other words to counteract the force of the rewind spring tending to contract the belt in a counter-clockwise direction. Nevertheless, the spool 24 under the influence of the rewind spring will have the effect of reducing the outward pressure exerted by the clutch spring so that in the rewind direction the clutch spring will act more to impose a frictional drag, as opposed to a positive locking force, on movement of the drum.

The rewind spring 30 serves the usual function of urging the reel in a direction to rewind or return the belt to stored relation within the housing. In addition, the rewind spring is so arranged in relation to the clutch spring 24 that one end of the rewind spring will impart some torque to the clutch spring in a locking direction and thus will cooperate with the clutch spring to counteract the force of the opposite end of the rewind spring acting through the drum 24 to urge the clutch spring in a releasing direction. This is accomplished by employing a spring member 30 of spiral configuration having an inner end 56 secured to the pin 51 and being wound spirally from the inner end in a counter-clockwise direction to terminate in an outer terminal end 58 secured by suitable means such as a screw member 59 to the rotatable housing 14. The spring member 30 is biased normally to re- ,Wind the belt B, the effect of which will be to bias the inner end of the spring to rotate counter-clockwise thereby urging the drum 24 in the rewind direction, and to bias the outer end 58 in the opposite clockwise direction and urging the outer housing 14 in the locking direction. Thus the rewind spring will cooperate to some extent with the clutch spring 26 to maintain the latter in the locking position, and at least to the extent necessary to counteract the force of the inner end of the spring on the belt B in the opposite releasing direction. The advantage of employing the rewind spring 30 in this manner will be apparent since the spring is under increasing tension as the belt is unwound from the housing and accordingly will exert an increasingly greater force in the rewind or release direction through the inner end of the spring; however, this is counteracted by a corresspondingly increased tension at the outer end of the springf tending to resist movement of the clutch spring member away from the locking position.

The front end plate is fixed to the front end wall 36 of the housing by suitable means such as a screw member 62, the end plate having a central opening 64 which is aligned with the opening 39 and is dimensioned for insertion of the forward exteremity of the tubular surface portion 42 of the spindle. The key way 65 is formed at the outer edge of the opening 64 and again is aligned to hold the front control tab 52 in fixed relation against rotation while the rear control tab 53 is shifted between the locking and release positions as described. The entire assembly including specifically the housing and reel are properly aligned by the shaft 20 which consists of shaft portions 66 and 67 having male and female threaded ends, respectively, for insertion through opposite ends of the mounting or base structure into connected relation with one another and with end tabs 68 and 69 abutting the front and rear end walls 36 and 37. a

In use, the entire assembly is mounted in an upright position as shown in FIGURE 1 so that the belt member B is accessible for withdrawal through the slot 16 in the housing 14 for extension to the desired length. Since the reel is normally held in the lock position, the handle :15 must be advanced to the release position, as shown dotted in FIGURE. 1, to hold the clutch spring 26 in contracted relation away from the reel. As long as the control handle is positively held in the release position, the belt member B may be unwound or automatically wound by the rewind spring at will. However if the control handle is released to permit its return to the locking position before the belt member is released, of course the belt will be locked in position against further movement. In this manner, the outer end of the belt may be buckled or otherwise suitably secured in place and, upon releasing the control handle 15, will be securely locked in position under the pressure of the clutch spring member 26 against the spool 24. Again, it is emphasized that the holding pressure exerted by the clutch spring '26 will increase correspondingly with any increased tension or force applied to the. belt in the unwinding direction, for instance, if the passenger is thrown forward against the belt in the event of sudden stopping or of anaccident. Conversely, the clutch spring will impose a frictional drag on the reel drum to retard its rotation in the winding direction, since the clutch spring will be effectively held in the locking position under the combined force of its own tension and that contributed by the rewind spring 30 acting through the housing.

In certain applications it may be desired to permit contraction of the clutch spring under the influence of the rewind spring and such may be readily accomplished by securing the outer end of the rewind spring 30 to the front end wall of the stationary base structure rather than to the housing. In this way, the spring 30 would act only through the reel to apply torque in the counter-clockwise releasing direction and which under suflicient tension would be capable of overcoming the tension of the clutch spring member 20. In this relation, the reel assembly may tend more to remain in a normally released position unless the clutch spring 26 is under sufficient tension at all times to overcome the urging of the rewind spring toward the release' position. Moreover, the end plate 32 may be permitted to rotate While holding the outer housing 14 in fixed position so that expansion and contraction of the clutch spring 26 is controlled by shifting the front control tab 52 in relation to the rear control tab 53.

In the foregoing, movement of the housing 14 and associated spindle and spring members have been described as being controlled solely by actuation of the control handle 15. However, the belt member B may be utilized independently of the handle 15 to control expansion and contraction of the clutch spring 26 and resultant locking and release of the reel. As illustrated in FIG- URE 4, the belt may normally extend upwardly from the housing, at a slight angle to the vertical, so as not to influence locking and release of the reel. To release the reel, the belt is grasped and forced against one side of the slot in a counter clockwise direction and in this way may overcome the biasing force of the clutch spring in the opposite direction. Once the belt is extended to the desired length and released, the reel will be returned under the urging of the clutch spring to the locking position. Where the belt is to be employed in controlling locking and release of the reel, care should be taken during installation to insure that the belt will be free to return to the locking position once released and will remain in that position until positively released either by manipulation of the belt or actuation of the control spindle 15.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the present invention affords a novel and efficient automatic reel device which operates in a vastly improved manner to auto matically and positively look a seat belt or other elongated flexible member in place; and, while a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described herein, it is to be understood that various modifications and changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims and reasonable equivalents thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. In an automatic reel, a stationary support, a rotatable drum having an elongated flexible member wound thereon, a locking spring member being disposed in inner spaced concentric relation to said drum and being positioned to undergo selective circumferential expansion into locking engagement with said drum, said locking spring member having opposite end portions with one of said end portions being secured in fixed relation to said stationary support and locking control means being engageable with the other of said end portions to control expansion and contraction of said locking spring member into and away from positive locking engagement with the inner surface of said drum.

2. In an automatic reel according to claim 1, said looking spring member being characterized by being in the form of a helical spring, said helical spring member being biased normally to expand into locking engagement with the inner surface of said drum, and said locking control means being movable to overcome the biasing of said helical spring member to contract said spring member away from locking engagement with said drum.

3. In an automatic reel according to claim 1, said locking control means including a rotatable support member in spaced inner concentric relation to said drum, said locking spring member being defined by a helical spring wound upon said rotatable support member in a direction such that upon circumferential expansion of said spring member into locking engagement with said drum, said spring member is movable in a direction to be further expanded upon application of torque to said drum in the unwinding direction of said flexible member.

4. In an automatic reel, a resiliently tensioned pick-up drum having an elongated flexible member wound thereon, a stationary support, spring support member being disposed for independent rotation in inner spaced concentric relation to said drum, and a helical spring member being interpositioned between said spring support member and said drum for selective circumferential expansion into locking engagement with said drum, said helical spring member having opposite end portions secured to said spring support member and said stationary support, respectively, whereupon rotation of said spring support member one of said end portions is movable circumferentially in relation to the other of said end portions for circumferential expansion and contraction of said helical spring member relative to said drum.

5. In an automatic reel for a seat belt, a stationary support, a rotatable drum being mounted for rotation on said stationary support for unwinding the seat belt and winding on said drum, said drum including means biasing said drum 'for rotation in the winding direction, an outer rotatable housing including a generally cylindrical support member disposed for rotation in inner spaced concentric relation to said drum, and a helical spring member interpositioned between said cylindrical support member and said drum, said helical spring member having one end secured in fixed relation to said stationary support and having an opposite end secured for rotation with said rotatable housing whereupon rotation of said housing with respect to said stationary support, said spring member will undergo circumferential expansion into positive. locking engagement with said drum.

6. In an automatic reel according to claim 5, said helical spring member being Wound in a direction opposite to that of the seat belt whereupon circumferential expansion of said spring member into engagement with said drum the seat belt is positively locked against rotation in the unwinding direction from said drum.

7 In an automatic reel according to claim 5, said helical spring member being biased in a direction to normally expand into locking engagement with said drum, and said rotatable housing including a manual release member associated therewith to urge said spring member in a direction to contract away from locking engagement with said drum.

8. In an automatic reel according to claim 7, said means biasing said drum for rotation in the winding direction being defined by a rewind spring having its inner end secured to said drum and its outer end secured to said rotatable housing, and said rewind spring being biased to yieldingly urge said drum in the winding direction of the flexible member while simultaneously and yieldingly urging said rotatable housing in the locking direction of said helical spring member. A

9. A seat belt reel assembly, comprising a fixed support, a resiliently tensioned take-up spool having a seat belt wound thereon, a cylindrical housing including a spindle being disposed in journaled relation to said fixed support and in inner spaced concentric relation to said spool with a slot in said housing for extension of the seat belt therethrough, a locking spring member disposed between said spindle and said spool having one end portion secured to said fixed support and an opposite end portion secured to said spindle, said locking spring memher being biased to expand into engagement with the inner surface of said spool whereby to normally lock said spool against rotation in the unwinding direction of the seat belt,

and said housing including said spindle being rotatable in response to the angular direction of extension of the seat belt from said housing to selectively release said locking spring member from locking engagement with said spool.

10. A seat belt reel assembly according to claim 9, said spool including a rewind spring extending between one end of said spool and said housing to bias said spool in the Winding direction of the seat belt and simultaneously to bias said housing in the locking direction of said locking spring member.

11. A seat belt reel assembly comprising a fixed base support, a hollow cylindrical housing including a central spindle mounted for rotation on said base support, a reel 'member having a spool arranged in spaced outer concentric relation to said spindle for normally independent rotation with respect to said spindle, said spool having a seat belt wound thereon for unwinding from the spool through a slot in said housing, a return spring carried between one end of said reel and said housing, said return spring being biased to yieldably urge said drum in the winding direction of said belt, and a helical clutch spring being interposed concentrically between said drum and said spindle having one end fixed to said base member and the opposite end secured to said spindle, said clutch spring being selectively movable in response to rotation of said housing with respect to said base member to expand circumferentially against saiddrum to positively lock said reel member against rotation in the unwinding direction and to impose a frictional drag on rotation of said reel member in the winding direction of the seat belt;

12. A seat belt reel assembly according to claim 11, said spindle including a spring supporting surface portion and an enlarged spool supporting surface portion including a slot therein for receiving the opposite end of said clutch spring member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,088,599 8/1937 Johnson 24275.5 X 2,145,474 1/1939 Bu-rdick et a1. 24284.3 2,209,467 7/ 1940 Moore 24299 2,784,810 3/1957 Ulmann 188--82.6 X

FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

W. S. BURDEN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC REEL, A STATIONARY SUPPORT, A ROTATABLE DRUM HAVING AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE MEMBER WOUND THEREON, A LOCKING SPRING MEMBER BEING DISPOSED IN INNER SPACED CONCENTRIC RELATION TO SAID DRUM AND BEING POSITIONED TO UNDERGO SELECTIVE CIRCUMFERENTIAL EXPANSION INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRUM, SAID LOCKING SPRING MEMBER HAVING OPPOSITE END PORTIONS WITH ONE OF SAID END PORTIONS BEING SECURED IN FIXED RELATION TO SAID STATIONARY 